iNCOVACC

iNCOVACC

Context:

  • The Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh recently launched the intranasal COVID­19 vaccine iNCOVACC.

Who is manufacturing it?

  • iNCOVACC, the intranasal COVID¬19 vaccine is being manufactured by the Hyderabadbased vaccine developer Bharat Biotech International Ltd. (BBIL).
  • It is the first intranasal COVID vaccine approved for the primary two-dose schedule and as a heterologous vaccination in the world.
  • Nasal drops are used as a booster dose. As a result, people who have already received Covishield or Covaxin can receive a booster dose of iNCOVACC.

What are the advantages?

  • The nasal route has excellent potential for vaccination due to the organized immune systems of the nasal mucosa.
  • It would reduce the burden and ease the administration as it does not require trained health care workers.
  • There would be complete elimination of needle-associated risks (injuries and infections).

The Current Status:

  • According to a statement issued by Bharat Biotech earlier, ‘iNCOVACC’ is priced at Rs 800 for private markets and at Rs 325 for supplies to the government of India and state governments iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilised spike protein.
  • This vaccine candidate was evaluated in phase I, II and III clinical trials with successful results.

Source The Hindu

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